How the system works

I get a lot of questions about how the MD system works. Maybe this little chart helps.

Personally for me:

Year 4 : Take pharmacology, Finish BLA (Bachelor's of Liberal Arts), take Behavioral Science, do a Family Medicine rotation, do an Internal Medicine rotation, Study for and take Step 1 of UMSLE Boards

Year 5: Core rotations in OB/GYN, Pediatrics, Surgery, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine and a rotation with a doctor in a rural/underserved community

Year 6: ER rotation, Internal Medicine rotation, electives, study and take Step 2, study and take Step 2 Clincal Skills test, apply and interview for residency.


For everyone:
In March all the graduating students find out where they were accepted to residency.

July 1 or so after you graduate, you start your first year of residency. This year of residency is also called your internship year and you are called an intern. You work at least 80 hours in the hospital during this year and do all the scut work. At the end of your intern year, you must take the last part of your boards exam, Step 3. After completion of this you can be a REAL, practicing doctor.

For the remainder of your residency you are called a resident. You still have to work upwards of 80 hours a week, but have interns doing all the scut work. Residencies last anywhere from 3 years (internal medcine, pediatrics) to 5 years (surgery). At this point, most take their choosen area's test to become board certified.

If you so choose, you can do a fellowship after your residency to specialize in something in your field. Some examples include: cardiology, GI, endocrinology, hematology/oncology, etc. Fellowships last 2 to 3 years. At this point again, you take the specialites test to become board certified.

Once board certified, you must do continuing education yearly to maintain "boarded."

Well, this is the journey ahead of me. Hope you find it helpful. Feel free to ask any other questions!